A debut by Elena Yevseyeva

The character of Maria in The Fountain of Bakhchisarai is one of the most lyrical female roles in the St Petersburg repertoire, one that demands songful lines, poetry of dance and dramatic expressiveness. The performances of Galina Ulanova, who created the role, went down in world ballet history as the standard by which all others are judged. Elena Yevseyeva admits, however, that “she feels no sense of ‘competing’ with the greats and has only a desire to find her own interpretation.” The dancer is seeking out different images in a varied repertoire: she performs both lyrical and bravura roles, and her repertoire includes both classical and contemporary choreography. Elena Yevseyeva is an experienced dancer; she worked at the Mikhailovsky Theatre for seven years, performing lead roles in numerous ballets there, while in her five years at the Mariinsky Theatre she has appeared in over thirty roles.